Said cells are known in the prior art, made either in single-crystal or poly-crystal silicon. One of the factors influencing the conversion yield of solar energy to electric energy is the absorption rate of solar energy. In other words, the reflectivity of the active surface must be as low as possible since the cell must absorb the most light possible. Conventionally, the active surfaces of the cells are geometrically textured to reduce reflection. This texturing is generally obtained in baths by chemical attack to cause erosion. The implementing of this chemical attack particularly has the disadvantage of using polluting liquids whose storage and recycling costs are high. In addition, with regard to cells in poly-crystal silicon, the reduction in the coefficient of reflection by chemical attack is limited since the texturing geometries obtained are random, which means that the yield is not significantly improved. This erosion can also be obtained by plasma attack, but again the texturing obtained is random with the result that the yield is not significantly improved whether for cells in single-crystal or poly-crystal silicon.
Document FR 2 935 842 presents a texturing method comprising the depositing of resin followed by texturing thereof and then the texturing of the cell using erosion to remove all the previously deposited resin, so that the texturing patterns of the resin are reproduced on the cell. Nevertheless, this method is not adapted to the production of photovoltaic cells under industrial conditions since the forming of the resin i.e. the texturing thereof is conducted after it has been deposited by means of a texturing mould. This mould applies a pressure on the cell and the controlling of forces is not guaranteed when using a method with high production rates, with the result that numerous cell breakages will occur since the very narrow thickness of the cells makes them fragile. It can be added that this point is essential given the increasingly lowering thickness of cells to economise on silicon. The application of the mould onto the cell also requires stops during the forward travel of the cells on the production line and the sequencing of production, thereby limiting productivity.